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Soft skills have become a critical factor in enhancing individual employability. A deeper understanding of the specific soft skills valued by employers in various types of enterprises enables higher education institutions to more precisely cultivate these qualities in students. This study focuses on 15 essential soft skill indicators categorized into three key facets: personal, social, and methodological skills. Through the analysis of 366,077 job advertisements, we establish keyword libraries for different indicators, facilitating the identification of the types of soft skills emphasized in each advertisement. Our findings reveal that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) prioritize a range of soft skills, except for creativity/innovation skills, analytical skills, and continuous improvement skills. On the other hand, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) exhibit a demand for as many as 14 out of 15 soft skill indicators, surpassing private enterprises, except for creativity/innovation skills. However, this emphasis on different soft skills does not necessarily result in salary differentials. Soft skill requirements linked to personal traits, such as professional ethics, commitment to work, stress resistance, and self-learning abilities, do not correlate with higher salaries. Conversely, soft skills related to socialization, like teamwork, leadership, and social networking, are associated with higher salaries. The results of this study reveal employers' demand for various soft skills. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this demand is not adequately reflected in salary levels. Employers should carefully consider and strive for a more equitable representation of soft skills in the determination of salaries.
Chiu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.